Lucerne Valley Leader

Off-roading enthusiasts from all over Southern California have descended on on the Lucerne Valley-Johnson Valley area for the 2012 Griffin King of the Hammers race.

The main event is on Friday, Feb. 10, but action gets under way Super Bowl Sunday with the Smittybilt Every Man Challenge, an amateur race beginning at 8 a.m. Visit http://ultra4racing.com for race schedules and information, and check Wednesday's Leader for more coverage.

By BEATRIZ E. VALENZUELA
Staff Writer

VICTORVILLE • A 30-year-old Victorville man was killed early Monday morning after his vehicle was struck by a Lucerne Valley motorist who allegedly ran a red light, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Victorville station officials said.

At about 1 a.m., authorities received several 911 calls of a collision on Bear Valley Road near Industrial Road, according to Karen Hunt, spokeswoman for the Victorville station.

Fire fee is main topic as town meets new supervisor

By KRIS REILLY
Editor

LUCERNE VALLEY • Neil Derry is used to singing to an audience. Last week, the audience sang to him.

Derry, Supervisor of the Third District of San Bernardino County, got a warm reception from the crowd at the Lucerne Valley Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) meeting on Jan. 24.

Derry gave up the evening of his 43rd birthday to introduce himself to the town, which became part of his Third District last fall.

38 years and counting for Rutledge

By KRIS REILLY
Editor

Longtime Lucerne Valley Elementary School employee Judy Rutledge has been selected by her peers as the school’s staff member of the month.

Rutledge works as the attendance clerk and a health aide in the office at LVES. She’s done numerous other jobs in her 38 years at the school, including instructional aide and custodial worker.

By KRIS REILLY
Editor

LUCERNE VALLEY •According to its latest timeline, the U.S. Marine Corps expects to release the final environmental impact statement (EIS) for its Twentynine Palms base expansion sometime this April.

The expansion would overtake a large portion of the nearby Johnson Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Area, potentially putting a major dent in off-roader tourism. Many locals opposed the draft EIS released last year.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The booking logs and sheriff’s blotter have been combined so our readers can find all of our weekly crime reporting in one place. The most recent incidents are listed first, and each entry has a short lead-in describing the type of incident. Also, the Sheriff’s Blotter will now be available online at LucerneValleyLeader.com in addition to the print edition. All information comes from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.

By JO RICHARDS
Special to the Leader

Most of us who live in Lucerne Valley are here by choice. Some were on there way to someplace else and ran out of gas. But even those who were stranded fell in love with this crazy little community and are here to stay.

Remembering the bad old days before environmental regulations

In response to Linda Gommel’s letter in the Jan. 11 Leader: With all due respect, I think you are missing a very important point in this argument.

Our planet is suffering due to the production and use of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas. Our soil, water supply, waterways, oceans and air have degraded from this onslaught for far too many years, as has the health and welfare of people and animals.

By KRIS REILLY
Editor

High winds left some of Lucerne Valley without power over the weekend, but local authorities received no reports of injuries or major damage.

The only major incident during the Jan. 21 windstorm was a fire that burned an uninhabited cabin on Baker Road, though authorities were uncertain if the fire had anything to do with the wind.

Gusts estimated to be at least 50 miles per hour kicked up during the night, damaging a power line in southern Lucerne Valley and leaving 479 households without power at about 1:40 a.m. Saturday.

By BEATRIZ E. VALENZUELA
Staff Writer

Roberto Espinoza has been recognized for what he’s done to help young people elsewhere in the High Desert, and now he’s hoping to help the youth of Lucerne Valley.

A small-business owner and a father of five, Espinoza volunteers at two different Police Activities League boxing programs.

“These kids need structure and someone there for them to keep them out of trouble,” Espinoza said. “And for them, the discipline of boxing is the answer.”